Transition Assessment

Living, Learning and Working
Great Prairie AEA
Transition Coordinators
Why?

It will help us do a better job of
transition planning

Outcome studies tell us we need to
be more targeted in our planning

IDEA 2004 requires it
Transition Assessment is an ongoing,
coordinated, systematic process that:
Collects/gathers relevant (appropriate)
information/data on a student’s interests,
preferences, strengths, and needs as they
relate to the student’s postsecondary
expectations for living, learning, & working
 Begins at least by the year the student
turns 14 years of age and continues until
the student graduates or ages out;

Transition Assessment is an ongoing,
coordinated, systematic process that:

Provides data from which to plan & make
decisions that assist the student to move
to postsecondary activities of living,
learning, and working;

Involves input from student, family, school
personnel, and other relevant stakeholders
such as adult agencies, related services
personnel (the IEP team)
7 UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES
OF THE IOWA MODEL FOR
TRANSITION ASSESSMENT
Principle 1:
The transition assessment process should
provide information to help the student
answer these questions—
Where am I now?
 Where do I want to go?
 What do I need to get there?

Principle 2:
 The
IEP team must collect information
on all three areas of postsecondary
expectations—living, learning, working
Principle 3:
 The
IEP team must understand the
target postsecondary environment, its
demands and supports, and assess
the student with this information in
mind.
Principle 4:
A
full range of information sources
should be used, including the student,
the family, school staff, and
appropriate community-based service
providers.
Principle 5:

A number of methods should be used to
collect assessment information. These
methods should include—
(R) Review of existing information
 (I)
Interviews with appropriate persons
 (O) Observations of the student in various
settings
 (T) Testing using informal and formal
instruments as deemed necessary

Principle 6:

Transition assessment should provide
students, families, educators, and adult
providers the information necessary to:
Identify appropriate goals, services, activities,
and supports that help students pursue their
postsecondary expectations; and
 Develop a course of study based on the
student’s performance, needs, & expectations.
 Ensure that the student’s educational program
and course of study are relevant and rigorous.

Principle 7:
 The
results of the transition assessment must be fully integrated into the
student’s IEP and Summary of Post
Secondary Expectations for Living,
Learning & Working.
TRANSITION ASSESSMENT
MATRIX
How we are defining the areas of
Living
Learning
and
Working
Application for Post-Secondary Area of:
Living
Learning
Working
Transition Planning
Assessment Areas:
Community Living
Interests &
Preferences for Post- Preferences
Secondary
Expectations
Cell 1
Cell 2
Literacy/ Communication
Skills

Writing

Speaking

Listening

Quantitative

Technology
Cell 3
Cell 5
Cell 6
•Study/Test-taking
Behaviors
•Personal Learning
Characteristics
•Work Ethics/Values
•Use of Self Advocacy
Skills
Cell 7
•Cell 8
•Cell 9
•Decision-making
Skills
•Personal Life
Choices
Application of
knowledge to real life
(Application/
Adaptation)
Cell 10
Cell 11
•Ability to adapt to new
tasks/jobs
•Ability to problem solve
on the job
•Technical skills (jobspecific)
Cell 12
Basic Skills for Post- Home and
Community Living
Secondary
Skills
Expectations
Cell 4
Attitudes/ Habits/
Self Awareness for
Post-Secondary
Expectations
Critical
Thinking/Application
Skills for Post
Secondary
Expectations
•Formal education
Work Style Options
with licensure,
Career Options
certification or degree
•Informal education
•Personal Organization
Attitudes/Habits
•Interpersonal
Attitudes/Habits
•Intrapersonal
Attitudes/Habits
Core Workplace Skills
 Job Seeking
 Job Keeping
 Disability Rights
THE MATRIX AND THE
WEBSITE
http://www.transitionassessment.northcentralrrc.org
Level 1: Definitions

Home and Community Living Skills




Skills necessary to complete daily and adult living activities.
Daily Home Living skills are those activities adults do every day
(e.g., preparing meals, budgeting, maintaining a home, caring for
personal health/insurance issues, etc.)
Adult Community Living activities are important adult activities
that are done occasionally, such as registering to vote, doing
taxes, renting a home.
Other examples of home and community living skills could includ
e: managing money; managing a household; buying, preparing,
consuming food; buying and caring for clothing; exhibiting
responsible citizenship; using recreational facilities and engaging
in leisure; getting around the community; access community
agencies.
Level 2: Assessment Tools

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--Review student file
--Student and/or Parent interview
--Classroom observation of life skills
--Community-based situational assessment of life skills
--Comprehensive Inventory (Level 2 of TPI, Items 12-16, in IATP**, pp. 18-22
--Independent Living Assessment Instrument (interview protocol in IATP**,
p. 102)
--Life Centered Career Education Knowledge/Performance Batteries
--BRIGANCE Life Skills Inventory
--Street Survival Skills Questionnaire
--Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment-III
--Any adaptive behavior scale (for developmental disabilities
--Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System
--Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scales
--Transition Planning Inventory (Daily Living Skills and Community
Participation domains items)
Level 3: How to Obtain the Tools
This level of the website includes a brief
description of each of the assessment
tools, the information on how to obtain the
assessment, or links to the website
 This level also includes links to some of
the informal interviews and surveys
provided by Dr. Gary Clark of University of
Kansas and practitioners across the state

Other Information on the Website

In addition to the Assessment Model and
Matrix, the website includes or may
include:
A brief introduction to Transition Assessment
 Information on how to document the assessment results in the IEP
 Resources, eventually including transition
specialists in each AEA
 Materials to assist with the Gap Analysis
(question #4 of the Assessment Model)

This is great, but I would have to sit with
each of my students:
Most of the assessments listed are pencil & pa
per, and many students have
reading or writing difficulties—
 Teachers have little time to sit with
students to complete the surveys—
 How do we collect the information?

Use assistive technology!!